Seat-attached bassinet



Sept. 29, 1953 c. NoLAN 2,653,330

SEAT-ATTACHED BASSINET Filed Sept. 27, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 29, 1953 c. NoLAN SEAT-ATTACHED .BASSINET 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 27, 1951 www P h" mw m HW U m .1 e 5 w w/ewHs M1 .I 0l um 'all' Patented Sept. 29, 1953 UNITED STATES eATsNT OFFICE;

2,653,330 SEAT-ATTACHED BASSINET Charles Nolan, Jacksonville, Fla. Application september 27, 1951, serial No. vM8540 7 Claims.

My invention relates to baby-holding baskets or bassinets for highway busses, transport aircraft, railroad passenger cars, and the like, and more particularly to bassinets for attachment to theseat's of such busses, aircraft and cars.

An object of my invention is to provide a holder for an infant being carried in a long-distance motor coach, highway bus, transport aircraft, railroad passenger car or the like, which will be safe, convenient and comfortable for the infant, for the mother or other person caring for the infant, for the transport line personnel, and for other passengers.

A further object of my invention is to provide an infant carrier which is readily attachable and detachable in convenient position within a bus, aircraft, railroad car, or the like, and which may be readily cleaned and storedzbetween periods of use.

Accommodations for infants or babies in `busses and aircraft, and often on railroad trains, have heretofore generally comprised merely a .pillow which may be uncomfortably held in the mothers lap, or dangerously placed in an empty seat, this extra seat `being thus wasted insofar as revenue to the transportationv company is concerned. Many'suggestions have heretofore been made for carriers for infants in motor vehicles, 'but such suggestions have not offered a satisfactory pro'- visibn'from the stand-points ofv safety, comfort, cdriver-net ice,` space saving, ready Ycleanability or rea'fdy storabilityn which are important generally iripubl-ic transportation and specifically in bus, air-arid V.rail transportation.

It' is, accordingly, an Vimportant object of my invention to increase the safety, comfort ,and

convenience with which infants may he gtrans' ported in publ-ic conveyances, ,and to provide means for this purpose which will con-serve space, will .be readily cleaned .and stored, and `will be adjustably and detachably arranged ,within the conveyance .without requiring any modiiications or additions to .the Istructure thereof. v

The novel :features which I 'believe to ,be characteristic `of my invention are set folth with particillarity in the -appendedclai-ms. My invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be underfstood by reference `to the following ,description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, which Vl isa perspectiveview ofa bassinet .or infant carrier attached to thearm structure A.of .a seat .of :a bus .or 1aircraft, rin ,accord -With my invention; :.2 is ,a partially ,cut laway side view of the bassinet of l Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of one `vcorner of the fabric member which forms the baby-holding basket portion of the device of Fig. l; Fig. 4 is a detail View of an attachment bearing embodied in the device of Figs. '1 and 2; Fig. 5 is an exploded view of the bassinet, including .the supporting attachment means thereof, of Figs. 1 through 4; Fig. 6 is a detail view of corner portions of the baby-holding basket vof :the ibassinet .of Figs. 1 through 5; Fig. '7 is a detail sectional view of a portion of the attachment means of the fbassinet of Figs. 1 through 6; and Figs. ,8 vand -9 lare sectional end and v,perspective views, respectively, of `a modified baby-holding ,basket useful withA the supporting and attachment means of Figs. l and 2.

in the view ,0f Fig. il, a baby-holding basket i is shown supported by a clamping mechanism 2 from the arm structure-3 A,of a busor aircraft seat. As shown, `Athe basket .i is disposed above and parallel to the seat cushion 4 in a position such that a person caring for the baby could lloe comfortably seated in the seat, while the baby would be supported in the basket I just above the lap of such person'. A safety belt A may be arranged yBar 5, in turn, is pivotally supported adjacent the outside ofthe seat arm 3 by the clamping mechanism 2 to permit the bar, and the basket l carried thereby, vto swingabout a vertical axis coincident with the axis of tubular .members and i' of the Aclamping mechanism. Of these tubular members, member 6 is an upper member having an internal diameter slightly greater than the outside diameter of the lower member l which telescopes thereinto. An upper shoe 8 is welded or similarly attached to the upper member 6 and fits snugly over the top 4of the arm rest of the bus seat, .While a lower shoe k9 is attached to the lower member 1 and is pulled up firmly against the bottom of the rigid arm structure 3. The arm rest upper portion of the rigid arm structure 3 is preferably resilient or yielding, but my invention is also applicable Vto arm structures having wooden or metal rigid arm rests.

A small handle i0 is arranged on member 6 to control a clamping action on bar 5 which will permit the bar to be held against swinging about the vertical axis, and a second similar arrangement is provided to Alock the basket to bar 5 against rotation `about its center, as described in connection with Fig. 2. rIhe operation of the clamping mechanism 2 is such as to cause shoes 8 and 9 to be biased toward each other, and a simple safety locking device I I may be and is preierably provided as further considered hereinafter.

The details of the bassinet construction will be more apparent in Fig. 2, wherein the basket I is shown to comprise a flat board, base or lower frame member i2, preferably of plywood, which forms the bottom of the basket, upstanding posts I3, I4 hingedly mounted to the base I2 by hinges I5 and It, respectively, and a fabric member I'I, which is retained by posts I3, I4 in extended, box-like shape. More specifically, a post I3 or I4 extends upwardly from each of the four corners of the rectangular base I2, and a fabric pocket portion I8 at each corner of the fabric member lI slips down over each respective post, whereby the fabric member is readily removable by raising each corner ofi of its post.

The fabric member II further comprises end walls and side walls for the basket, as seen more clearly in Fig. 5 later described, a bottom wall portion I9, a skirt 29, and a mattress pocket portion 2 I, all shown in Fig. 2. The mattress pocket portion 2l, skirt 23 and bottom wall portion I9 are all joined together and to the side and end walls peripherally around the base, except that one or both ends 22 of the pocket portion 2I are not so joined, thereby to permit the mattress or soft pad 23 to be inserted in the pocket formed between portion 2l and bottom wall portion I9, and to be removed therefrom to permit appropriately different cleansing of the mattress and fabric member I'I, respectively. The mattress may be covered with a plastic waterproof material, for example, and may be cleaned by wiping with a damp cloth, while the fabric member I'I may be washed in soap and water or dry cleaned in a detergent medium.

The whole basket I is supported through a bracket 24 bolted to the underside of lower frame member I2 adjacent the center thereof. This bracket comprises a cylindrical socket which receives a cylindrical bushing 25, and the bushing is cylindrically bored to receive a cylindrical post 26. The post is firmly attached to and forms a part of the horizontal supporting bar 5, at the upturned end 2? of the bar. A screw and washer 23 are preferably arranged at the upper end of post 25 in a manner to retain bushing 25 on the post. The bushing 25 is free to rotate on post 26, thereby to permit the basket l to rotate in a horizontal plane about its approximate center, such rotation being about the common vertical cylindrical axis of the socket of bracket 2li, the bushing 25 and the post 2t. Since such rotation is desirable only from time to time, however, provision is made for locking the bracket 21% to post 23. It will be noted that bushing 25 is split, and a clamp screw 29 is threaded through a thickened portion 3@ of the bracket to engage within an indentation in the bushing, the inner end of screw 2Q being reduced into a semispherical or conical shape, or the like, for this purpose. The bushing is so slit that tightening screw 29, by means of its attached handle 3|, causes bushing 25 to bind upon pest 2d. Thus the bushing 25 cannot rotate on the post, and the engaged end of screw 29 prevents rotation of bracket 24 on the bushing, thus locking the base I2 to the bar 5. In order that this locking action may be eifective, it is preferable that the cylindrical surface of post 2S and the surface of the bore of bushing 25 be machined to a not quite smooth or slightly pitted surface, or that vertical knurls or shallow grooves be provided in one or both surfaces, but such surface markings or roughness should not be so pronounced as to interfere with rotation of the bushing on the post when screw 29 is loosened.

In respect to this mounting arrangement of the basket on bar 5, it will be further apparent that the lower end of bushing '25 is flanged outwardly to provide a thrust bearing surface for the lower end of bracket 2d, and that the lower face of the flange bears against the upper face of a ilanged portion of end 2l of bar 5 to permit rotation of bushing 2-5 on post 2t.

The end 32 of bar 5, opposite end 22', is downturned and terminates in a post and flange 34 in all respects similar to the arrangement at end 2l such that bar 5 could be turned end for end and used without change. Surrounding post 33 to support bar 5, is a bushing 35 similar to bushing 25 heretofore described. Bushing 35 fits within the upper end of cylindrical tube '5, and tube 5 carries an enlarged portion 3?; bored and threaded to receive locking screw 3l, which operates with bushing 35 in the manner heretofore described for screw 29 and bushing 25, to lock tube 9 and bar 5 together when the screw is tight, and to permit arm 5 to swing in a horizontal plane about the common vertical axis of post 33, bushing 35 and tube 6 when the screw 31 is loosened. Washer and screw 38 carried by the end of post 33 prevent the separation oi bushing 35 from the post.

Screws 29 and 3'I are operated by the pivotally attached handles 3l and i2, respectively. The handle in each case is free to swing on a pin transverse to the length of the screw, such as pin 39 of handle 3l. Thus in tightening or loosening screw 29, for example, the handle may be pulled up toward the board I2 until the handle touches the board while rotating the screw in a predetermined direction. If it is desired to continue this rotation, the handle may be swung through degrees about its pin 39, at which time further rotation of the screw is accomplished by moving the handle away from the board. The thread pitch of the screws 29 and 31, and the proportions and surface conditions of bushings 25 and 35 and posts 26 and 33, should be such that only about one-quarter turn of each screw is necessary to lock or unlock the respective bushing and post selectively to lock and unlock the members for horizontal swinging as described. When it is desired to remove the basket from bar 5, however, the screw 29 will be loosened suiciently to disengage from the indentation in bushing 25, thereby to permit the bracket 24 to be lifted from the bushing. Similarly, screw 3'I may be sufficiently loosened, as by several turns of the handle I0, to permit removal of bar 5 and bushing 35 from tube 6.

Fig. 2 clearly shows the upper shoe 8 welded to tube 6 and demonstrates the downturned inner end 4I) which hooks over the arm rest upper portion of the arm structure 3 indicated by broken lines. Lower shoe 9 is welded at the lower end of the lower tube 21 to hook under the solid or rigid lower portion of arm structure 3, and since this portion is rigid, only a small tab portion 4I at the inner edge need be upturned to hook under the structure firmly to hold tube 'I thereto. Since the lower portion, or bottom, of the arm structure 3 may be close to the iloor of the bus. the tab should not be long and may turn upwardly at about degrees rather than vertically upward. When so arranged, the shoe 9 is most easily positioned, yet the attachment is entirely adequate and safe.

As further shown in Fig. 2, a tension spring 42 is disposed within the telescoping tubes 6 and 1, being attached at its upper end by a pin 43 to tube 6 and at its lower end by a pin 44 to tube 1. This spring urges or tensions tubes 6 and v1 toward theftelescoped position and, accordingly, urges shoes 8 and 9 toward each other. When shoe 9 has been placed under the arm structure 3 and shoe 8 has been raised against the spring 'and slipped over the arm rest top portion of the arm structure, the tubes 6 and 1 lare iirmly clamped to the arm structure and will not become dislodged therefrom as the result of'any likely occurring force. The safety o1' the attachment is further insured, however,

by the operation of a dctent or ratchet mecha nism indicated at Il in Fig. 1 and shown in detail in Fig. i later described.

Fig. 3 shows a corner of the fabric member I1 in place on a post I4 and with a mattress 23 in position between bottom wall portion I9 and pocket portion 2|. An end wall 45 and side wall 46 are suitably hemmed at the top, land extend inwardly at the bottom to be stitched, as at 41 and 48, respectively, peripherally around the mattress 23v to the portions I9 and 2I, except that at least one end of member 2| is not so stitched aspreviously explained and as seen in Fig. 2. The skirt 20 is suitably hemmed at the bottom and is stitched, as at 49, to the end and vside walls. A small opening is left between the portions I9 and 2|, .on the one hand, .and .the corner formed byend and Aside walls 45 and 46 on the other, to permit thepost i4 to pass upwardly into an elongated pocket formed between a fabric pocket member 18 and the side and end walls, to which member .I8 is attached .by stitches 52. This pocket is closed atr the top and along each side but is open at the bottom to receive the post. Onesuchpocket is provided, together with an opening like opening .5.0, at each `corner of the ,fabric member I 1.

Fig. 4 discloses bushing 25 removed Afrom post 26. The .side `indentation 5.3 in bushing 25A is adaptedto receive the .end of the locking screw as previously described, and such screw may-be tightened to bend the portion .54 or `the bushing` inwardly toreduce the size of the bore there-in. A vertical slot and horizontal slot 56 serve to denne the portion 54 andato permit this portion to bend under the ior of the screw indentation .5.3. .The .bushing should be .of a metal suiiciently .resilient to return the portion Y.Ell to original position whenever the screw is lloosened to unlock the .bushing from vthe .post 26. Slat 55 is `out only through -about one-third or y.one-.half of .the Vbushing circumference. As heretofore described, the flange ,51 of the bushing acts .as .a

support and thrust bearing, .on top `or the iiange for the bracket .attached to .the .basket frameY bore of bushing `2,5 and the :outer .cylindrical .sur-- face of post 2 6 are preferably ,suiciently rough to ,provide an .effective .clamping or locking of bushing 2.5 on post 2.6 .when the portion 5d is pressed inwardly, yet smooth enough not .to interfere with rotation of the bushing on post 28 when 'the ,portion 54 fis ,not deflected inwardly. The tapped opening 5'9 at the to-p o'f post 26 -is arranged to receive a screw which, as seen at 28 in Fig. 2, will hold bushing 25 down on post 26. The arrangement for end 21 of bar 5 shown in Fig. 4 is equally applicable to the other end 32 of the arm, with the parts merely inverted.

The bassinet is shown in exploded View in Fig. 5 comprising, as major parts, 'the fabric member I1, the base I2 carrying posts I3 and I4 and bracket 24, and the clamping support 2 comprising bar 5 and telescoping tubes 6 and 1. Fabric member I1 is arranged to t down over the posts I3 and I4 to form the supported basket portion. However, posts I4 when upright extend slightly away from each other, with their upper ends further apart then their lower ends. In order to bring the posts I4 into parallelism, they are rotated on hinged supports I6 into the extended horizontal positions indicated in broken lines at i4. l'lhe wardly toward each other when swung into a downward direction, and are parallel when in a horizontal position, either extending outwardlyV from the end of the base I2, as shown at i4 in Fig. 5, or inwardly from the end under the base' I2, in the posi-tion shown at I4 in Fig. 5.

With the posts extended in position I4', pockets I3 of the head end Iii of the fabric member :I1 may be tted over the posts. Thereafter the posts are swung into vthe upright approximately vertical position, whereby the end 6I is held ver,- tical and opened oui'l slightly toward the top. The pockets of the foot end 52 of the fabric member I1 are now fitted over the raised parallel posts I3. The hinge .pins 63 of hinges I5 which mount posts I3 are horizontal and perpendicular to the length of base I2, and the posts I3 may be swung parallel to each other from the solid line positions shown in Fig. 5 to the broken line positions at I3. .Swinging posts I3 and I4 into the positions ilat 4against the underside of base I2 permits conveniently compact storage of -the bassinet. In swinging the posts into operative positions above the base, it is to be noted that each postextends into a notch `Sli in the base I2, and vthat the swing is limited by contact of each respective `post with the bottorn or end of kthe notch. The notches are so cut that the posts I4 can-not 'pass beyond an approximately vertical position, while the posts I3 can swing inwardly beyond 'the vertical .to dispose the foot .end of the basket portion in an inwardly sloping position, partially over the .feet of an infant in -the basket. The posts .I4 may be limited to swing not quite `-u-p to the vertical if it is desired that end 5I of the basket slope .outwardly at the infants head. vSafety belt 4 is 'shown attached to the yunderside of base `Ii and arranged to extend completely over the fabric member -H and to fasten under the other side of the base, as to a button vknob B6 to lengage a `button hole in 4the belt.

Bracket 24 on the underside of `base I2 ts over bushing 25 on end '21 of bar 5, Aas heretofore explained in connection with Fig. 2, and handle 3i may ybe loose to permit the bushing with the basket portion to rotate on this end 4of the bar, or tightened to lock the bar and basket portion together. Bar 5 is swingably -mounted .on tube .-6, and this .tube carriesan inwardly extending upper shoe 3 to fit over the top or arm rest portion of a 7 seat arm structure. Ihe preferred design of shoe 8, and of the lower shoe 9 carried by telescoping tube 'l are clearly seen in Fig. 5. It will be noted that handle lil is arranged at a side of tube t, rather than opposite shoe S, whereby the handle will not protrude into the aisle of the bus. In practice, the handle i and its screw 3l' are preferably so adjusted that the handle lil, when the screw is tight to lock bar 5, will lie over against the seat arm adjacent shoe 3. It is then completely out of the way of persons in the aisle. Safety ratchet or detent mechanism Il is also located along the side of tube in a position unlikely to catch the clothes of persons in the aisle.

Fig. 7 discloses the details of the safety ratchet or deten-t mechanism, being a partially sectional side view of portions of tubes 6 and The position of spring 52 is indicated for reference.

A hand-actuated detent member is rockably attached to tube 6 by means of two small ears St, one of which is visible, and a suitable journal pin, and is urged into the position shown by a compression spring 67 between the tube and an end of member S5 which may be pressed by the thumb. When so pressed, member t5 rocks about the pin holding it to ears ES and raises pawl 63 away from engagement with notches EB which are formed on the surface of tube l. With the pawl so disengaged, tubes B and 'l may be drawn apart against the tension of spring 32. Upon release of member 65, pawl Si? is forced back through opening 'l0 in tube 6 into engagement with notches 69. The notches and engaging end of pawl 68 are wedge shaped in the direction to permit each notch to lift the pawl over into the next notch as the tubes E and l are further ltelescoped, but to prevent the extension of tubes E and 'l without manual actuation of detent mem ber 65 to disengage -the pawl from the notches.

In operation in the installation of the bassinet, shoe 9 will be hooked under the arm structure, detent member 65 will be operated to disengage the pawl, and the tubes and 'l will be extended manually against the spring tension until shoe is slipped over the arm rest or top of the arm structure. The detent may then be released, and th pawl will click over the notches 63 as spring yl2 telescopes the tubes t and i. The attachment is thus automatically completed by the cooperation of spring 42 and the detent mech anism, whereby the clamping support 2 may not be removed from, and is safely held to, the seat arm, until the detent is manually and intentionally operated.

Furthermore, with the clamping support in place as described, if the arm structure carries a resilient arm rest upper portion, greater tightening of the clamp is readily and simply obtained by merely pressing down on shoe 8, or on end 32 of bar 5. This action presses shoe 8 into the arm rest and spring 42 automatically maintains shoe 9 against the bottom of the arm structure and pulls the tubes into further telescoped position, in which position they are firmly held by the automatic detent mechanism. A measure of self-adjustment is also furnished by the combination in that a heavy infant placed in the backet will cause the arm rest to be somewhat depressed by the shoe S, and the spring 42 and detent mechanism take up as before. After the clamping mechanism is in place, with either a rigid or resilient arm rest, mechanical failure of either the spring i2 or detent mechanism will not cause the clamping mechanism to become detached, although a broken spring would make S attachment of the clamping mechanism more difficult, and failure of either would make the a1'- tachment somewhat less safe.

While the basket construction described is desir-able from the aspects of ready cleansing and compact storage, a more attractive appearance may be obtainable by forming a permanent nondisassemblable as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. Such basket may comprise a wooden box-like frame 10 carrying underneath a mounting bracket 1l similar to bracket 24 heretofore described. A mattress I2 is disposed in the bottom of frame 10, and the inner and outer sides of the frame are preferably padded with padding 13. The inside may then be lined with a smooth, easily cleaned plastic sheet material 14, and the outside covered with an attractive, wear resistant material 15, such as simulated leather. The lining and outer covering are held in place by a row of attractive, smooth headed tacks 16 adjacent the upper edge of the basket.

A safety belt 11 may be provided aiixed permanently to one side of the basket frame and attachable across the top, over the infant in the basket, to button attachment means 18 on the other side of the frame.

The basket of Figs. 8 and 9 may comprise sides 19 and 8!) generally slanting upwardly and outwardly, at least in part, a foot end 8| turned inwardly over the feet of an infant in the b-asket, and a head end 82 slanting outwardly to provide additional room at the head. This basket construction is, of course, adapted for use with the supporting means 2 of Fig. 5.

While I have shown only certain preferred embodiments of my invention by way of illustration, many modifications will occur to those skilled in the art, and I therefore wish to have it understood that I intend, in the appended claims, to cover all such modifications as fall with-in the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A bassinet, for attachment to a rigid seat ,-1 arm structure having a resilient upper portion,

said basinet comprising a baby-holding basket, a supporting member attached to said basket, and a clamping support for said member comprising an upper shoe to engage said resilient upper portion, a lower shoe to engage under said rigid structure, a spring urging said shoes toward each other, and automatic ratchet means to retain said shoes in maximum clamped relation to said structure.

2. A bassinet, for attachment to a rigid seat arm structure having a resilient upper portion, said bassinet comprising a generally rectangular baby-carrying basket, said basket having a horizontally disposed bottom flange portion, a supporting bar disposed horizontally below said bottom portion, one end of said bar being upturned, vertical Divot connection means between said upturned end of said bar and said bottom portion adjacent the center of said portion, whereby said basket may be rotated in a horizontal plane about its approximate center, an upper vertical tubular member carrying adjacent its top an arm-rest-engaging shoe, the other end of said bar being downturned, vertical pivot connection means between said top of said tubular member and said downturned end of said bar, whereby said bar may be swung in a horizontal plane about the vertical pivot axis of said last connection means, respective locking means for each of said connection means effective selectively to lock said basket against said rotation and to lock said b-ar against said swinging respectively, a lower vertical tubular member arranged to telescope in said upper member and carrying adjacent its lower end an arm-structure-engaging shoe, and releasable ratchet means automatically to retain said lower tubular member against withdrawal from substantially the maximum inserted position thereof in said upper tubular member.

3. A bassinet, for removable attachment to a seat arm structure, Said bassinet comprising a generally rectangular base member, a post pivotally mounted to each corner of said base to swing into a folded position flat against said base and selectively into upwardly extending position, a flexible sheet material member positionable over said posts to form an infant-carrying basket, a support for said basket comprising a horizontal bar, a vertical pivot connection between one end of said bar and said base member, a spring loaded clamp device to clamp to said arm structure, and a pivotal attachment mounting said bar to said device in position for said bar to swing horizontally over said arm structure.

4. A bassinet, for attachment to a seat arm structure, said bassinet comprising a base, means comprising a collapsible frame extending upwardly from `said base and a fabric member removably attached to said frame to form a foldable, infant-carrying basket, a, horizontal bar, a pivot device attached to the underside of said base and to said bar to mount said basket for horizontal rotation on said bar, said device comprising locking means selectively operable to lock said basket against said rotation, and a pivotal support remote from said device for supporting said bar for horizontal swinging, said support comprising spring urged shoes to engage said 10 structure and to clamp said support to said structure and further comprising locking means selectively operable to lock said bar against said swinging.

5. A baby bassinet for attachment to a seat arm structure, said bassinet comprising a babyholding basket, a clamp comprising an upper shoe and a lower shoe, said shoes being adapted and arranged to engage and clamp to said arm structure, and an arm extending generally horizontally and pivotally attached to said clamp to mount said basket to said clamp in pivotally adjustable position in respect to said clamp.

6. A bassinet for attachment to a seat arm structure, said bassinet comprising a baby-holding basket member, a clamp comprising a pair of seat-arm-structure-engaging shoes and an adjustable ratchet device to lock said shoes in predetermined adjusted relative position on said arm structure, and a pivotal member pivotally connecting said clamp and basket member.

'7. A bassinet for attachment to a seat armv structure, said bassinet comprising a clamp, a generally horizontal arm pivoted at one end to said clamp for swinging about a generally vertical axis, and a baby-holding basket pivotally attached to the other end of said arm for rotation with respect to said arm about a generally vertical axis.

CHARLES NOLAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 822,889 Faust June 5, 1906 1,567,285 Mitchell Dec. 29, 1925 2,524,461 McDowe11 Oct. 3, 1950 2,590,315 Hawley Mar. 25, 1952 

